GENITAL MORPHOLOGY AND SYSTEMATICS OF GEODIPSAS BOULENGER, 1896 (REPTILIA, SERPENTES, COLUBRIDAE), WITH DESCRIPTION OF A NEW GENUS

Hemipenes of the African colubrid snakes Geodipsas depressiceps, G. pr octerae and G. vauerocegae, and of the Malagasy species Geodipsas heim i, G. infralineata and Alluaudina bellyi are described. Moreover data on lepidosis and morphometry of these taxa are provided. By means of g enital morphology, close affinities could clearly be demonstrated amon g the Malagasy Geodipsas species on the one hand, and among the Africa n taxa on the other. In contrast to this, Malagasy Geodipsas spp. show distinct differences in hemipenis morphology as compared with the Afr ican species. We consider the deeply bifurcate sulcus spermaticus of t he latter as derived; and suggest a monophyletic origin of the African taxa, which are transferred here to a new genus Buhoma. The Malagasy Geodipsas rather resemble hemipenially the externally different Alluau dina, but their relationships are still to be clarified.